Human rights groups are raising concerns about the distribution of pensions among the elderly
More than 2.11 million pensioners aged 80 and above across the old-age, widow and disability categories would be affected. REPRESENTATIVE PICTURE | Photo credit: REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE
The United Forum for RTI Campaign, Andhra Pradesh, and the Human Rights Forum (HRF) on Friday urged the state government to ensure that social security pensioners continue to receive their full pension at their doorsteps in a single payment.
Chakradhar Buddha, co-convenor of the United Forum for RTI campaign, Andhra Pradesh, and K. Anuradha, HRF State Committee member, said the memorandum issued on September 22 by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department will divert the Centre’s share of National Social Assistance Program (NSAP) pensions directly to beneficiary accounts through the SNA-SPARSH banking system.
According to representatives, 9,34,980 beneficiaries will have their pension split between door-to-door cash payments and direct benefit transfer (DBT). An old-age pensioner aged 60-79 will get ₹3,800 at the threshold and ₹200 through DBT, while a widow aged 40-79 will get ₹3,700 and ₹300. For pensioners aged 80 years and above, ₹ 500 will be paid through DBT.
Representatives said more than 2.11 million pensioners aged 80 and above in the old-age, widow and disability categories will be affected. They said the change could cause particular hardship in Adivasi and remote areas where banking and transport options are limited.
Citing a LibTech India study in the Paderu Integrated Tribal Development Agency area of ASR district, they said half of those surveyed spent more than ₹200 in a single visit to access money from their accounts, while one in 10 spent more than ₹400.
Representatives said the Centre’s contribution was ₹27.64 crore a month, or about ₹332 crore a year, which they said was roughly 1% of the state’s pension expenditure. They urged the state to take up the matter with the Union government or consider bearing the Centre’s share.
They also said that splitting the pension could cause confusion over payments and referred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s September 27, 2021 judgment on social security pensions and the need to ensure that benefits reach the poor and needy.
Published – 25 Sep 2026 19:09 IST